Nitrogen- and Sulfur-Containing Energetic Compounds. 64 Years of Fascinating Chemistry*

Curt Wentrup

doi:10.1071/CH19263

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Nitrogen- and Sulfur-Containing Energetic Compounds. 64 Years of Fascinating Chemistry*

Curt Wentrup ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia. Email: wentrup@uq.edu.au

Australian Journal of Chemistry 72(8) 585-594 https://doi.org/10.1071/CH19263
Submitted: 10 June 2019 Accepted: 11 July 2019 Published: 6 August 2019

Abstract

This essay details the author’s work with high-energy molecules based on sulfur or nitrogen, or both, which started with amateur rocket propellants like zinc dust and sulfur followed by experiments with the highly sensitive compounds nitrogen trichloride and fulminating gold. Research on the inorganic and organic fulminates and the isomeric cyanates led to detailed investigations of reactive intermediates generated by flash vacuum pyrolysis or photolysis, in particular nitrenes and carbenes derived from azides, diazo compounds, triazoles, and tetrazoles and characterized in low temperature matrices.

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